The present invention refers to a rest pad of the type explained in the generic clause of claim 1.
Such a rest pad, which can also be used for an infant, is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,402. The known rest pad consists of a sort of tension sheet mounted on a bottom defined by a mattress. Along the edges of said tension sheet, strips of a textile material are sewed on in such a way that they define essentially semicircular tunnels into which rolls of foam material can be introduced. The strips have their two longitudinal edges sewed on the tension sheet in spaced relationship with each other, the distance between said longitudinal edges being equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the rolls of foam material. The inserted rolls of foam material will thus be secured in position relative to the tension sheet and, consequently, relative to the mattress. This, however, means that the available resting area of the rest pad has a fixed size, which cannot be varied.
An additional rest pad for an infant of the type mentioned hereinbefore is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,761,975. The known rest pad consists of a sort of air mattress having a flat, non-inflatable bottom and a hollow reception space, which extends around said bottom and into which air can be blown for elevating the whole outer rim of the bottom and not only rim sections. Also the elevated rim of this rest pad is fixed in position relative to the bottom and cannot be varied. Moreover, the possibilities of use of this rest pad are strongly limited, since only the rim as a whole, but not merely selected rim sections, can be lowered by letting off air.
A floor carpet with protective seals is known from French patent No. 1,209,288 as a playpen carpet for children. Rim sections (seals) made integral with the flat part of the carpet are located inwardly from the outer edges of the carpet. The seals are formed from impermeable and elastic material, such as plastic. While the seals are deformable while undergoing elastic stress, they bring the carpet back into the normal deployed position. In case of making use of the carpet with a playpen, it is made integral with the playpen and the seal then rests against the lower periphery on the inside and/or outside of the playpen. A number of different rest pads are shown of different constructions. From the fact that such rest pads can have a different size depending on the needs or certain requirements, the conclusion cannot be drawn that a certain fabricated rest pad can be varied in its useable size by means of foldable rim elements attached thereto to the bottom area.
Also, a cover for the base of a child's playpen is known from French patent publication No. 2,585,228, having cylindrical cushions attached to central blanket edges to form a safety means which define borders which prevent a child from putting feet outside the pen bars to reduce risk of injury. The borders are tightly drawn against the base by elastic straps arranged near opposite ends so that the border cushions can leave a maximum amount of interior space for a child and toys. There is nothing to suggest folding borders inwardly or outwardly to change the shape or size of the base rest area as in the present invention.
Hence, the present invention is based on the task of providing a rest pad, which can be used universally and which is variable in size. This task is solved by the characterizing features of claims 1 and 13.